Microsoft Posts New Hardware / Xbox Related Jobs: What's Next?

So, what's Microsoft up to? Isn't that a question that you'd love an
answer to! Rumblings have been all over the place lately, with "Ventura"
targeted as a replacement for the Zune, a future Windows Phone 7 update
possibly pushed out, and now, lots of new hardware development jobs.
Microsoft has just listed a handful of Xbox-related job listings on
LinkedIn, and one has to wonder: why would you hire a load of Xbox
engineers when the 360 has been around for a good while, and is pretty
seasoned as-is? Well, what is a new Xbox is coming?

The new listings have some very interesting language in them. Things
like "responsible for defining and delivering next generation console
architectures." That sounds pretty clear-cut to us; next-gen means
next-gen, and we doubt the 360 will see another major refresh. At this
point, Microsoft simply has to be looking to the future, meaning a new
console altogether. It's obviously impossible to tell how soon the 360
will be replaced. But considering the age, it's not crazy to think that a
new revision is on the way. But here's another thing: why hire a new
team when the current Xbox team could just shift their focus?

Does this insinuate that something entirely new, in addition to the new
Xbox, is in the waiting? Might Microsoft's hardware team be thinking of
doing something radical? We'll have to sit on pins and needles waiting,
but honestly, we're excited to do just that. Oh, and you might as well
apply while you're at it!